You are 38 weeks pregnant.

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Born & Birth stories

Your baby continues to grow this week and weighs about 6.8 pounds. His crown-to-rump length is still about 14 inches and total length is around 21 inches. Most women do not grow any larger during the last few weeks of their pregnancy. From the top of your uterus to your bellybutton is about 6.5 to 7 inches. You may be very uncomfortable now-you are almost there!

Just before real labor contractions start, you might notice false labor contractions. These should not be confused with Braxton-Hicks contractions. False labor contractions can be as strong as real labor contractions, but do not get closer and may go away if you get up to walk around. Contractions help dilate the cervix and encourage your water to break. Your baby could be born any day now, but only 5% of mothers deliver on their actual due date!

Over the last few weeks of pregnancy, your baby has been building up waste materials in the intestines. This waste material is known as meconium and is greenish-black in color. Meconium is made up of cells that your baby has shed, lanugo and other substances. Meconium is the first waste that your baby will pass after birth. However, sometimes babies pass meconium before delivery and are delivered with greenish-black waste covering their body. Special care must be taken when a baby passes meconium in the womb.

If your baby is a boy, his testes should have descended into his scrotum by this time. When your baby boy is born, both of his testes should be in place. Approximately 1% of babies are born with undescended testes. Because an undescended testis can cause infertility issues and increase the risks of testicular cancer, your baby's doctor will examine both testes after birth.

The baby's skull is not fully solid as the five bony plates, known as fontanels (little fountains), are still separate and can be pushed together. Birth may mold and elongate the fetal head, a safety precaution to reduce the skull's diameter for an easier birth, without damaging the fetal brain. After delivery, the baby's head returns to a rounded shape. Eyes have no tear ducts yet, they appear a few weeks after birth.

Would you like to announce the birth of your new baby? Do so by clicking this link: I gave birth!

Almost there! Did you know that we also have a month by month calendar for babies? You can find it in the menu under `Babies`: Month by month

Comments on week 38

Comments 201-223 of about 223 from week 38
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crooney - 39 days ago
O my, ive heard that beer-breastmilk thing before too. And contractions feel like a tightening in your abdomen. Ya know how it feels when those automatic blood pressure machines squeeze your arm? It feels similar, but your baby bump does it on its own. Idk how your bump looks, but wheni have them, my stomach takes shape of my baby, different depending on how he's positioned. Like he's being shrink wrapped! Haha

letitbe - 40 days ago
If you've ever put one of those electric muscle toning machines on your abdomen... that's what a contraction feels like. I've got electric shocks going down my inner thigh and bum atm and from what i can gather that's pelvic girdle pain x

yvette89 - 40 days ago
My pelvic bone keeps feeling like its going to give at any given time! I get really strong pains for a minute or so and then it goes again, could this be a contraction. I dont know what im looking out for

letitbe - 40 days ago
Was having very strong BH all night but they've stopped now. I wish I had something clear! Oh i wish guiness would up the milk supply!

yvette89 - 40 days ago
My fiances grandparents keep telling me to drink a pint of guiness a few times a week because my milk supply wont be good enough .... Hmmmm? Internet on our phones mean we can prove anyone wrong at the drop of a hat ;) my last day in week 38! Anyone having any signs? I have nothing at all

letitbe - 40 days ago
Omg, the stuff people tell you is insane, a friend of mine tried to stop me carrying empty boxeas atwork with my first, i nearly went berserk, particularly as she was no help on the odd occasion i actually needed help lol!

***angel*** - 40 days ago
Crooney- that is the craziest thing ever! Cant wear a ponytail??!! Never heard of that one yet, the things some people say....

crooney - 40 days ago
Then i come here to read about fellow preggos and bring myself back to sanity... Lol

crooney - 40 days ago
Yvette- i posted a lengthy response but now i dont see it. This is my second pregnancy and it is definitely more taxing on me than my first! And even though im super strict with myself about what i do and what i eat, strangers like to subject me to their 'expertise.' I am apparently both too small and too big, need to eat more and watch my weight, ive been told not to hold my baby too much (dont know where that one came from...) and the newest development: 'you really shouldnt be wearig a ponytail. Youre a mom! You need to cut your hair really short. I mean, if you want your kids to respect you, you cant be wearing your hair in a ponytail...' Um, excuse me?? I just nodded and smiled...

letitbe - 40 days ago
I have an appointment with mw tomorrow so will see what she says about it all, i used to work with her so hopefully she'll do me a favour lol

yvette89 - 40 days ago
I went for a 4D scan and was told to drink a bottle of lucozade and eat a bar of chocolate to wake the baby up ... If health care professionals see no harm then no one else can say much! Hehe Crooney hows your pregnancy going? Letitbe, are u booked in for a sweep yet or induction? I can have a sweep at 41 weeks

letitbe - 40 days ago
No it doesn't stop when you have your baby either, i'm all for listening to advice that is given with good intention but some people overstep the mark occasionally. When i was on placement a lad was nipping to the shop and i asked for a lucozade and he said 'you can't drink that' and i replied with 'well seeing as though I drank it non-stop with my first who slept through breast fed walked at ten months and counted to ten by 16 months I think i'll be the judge of that don't you' as awful as it is you have to let it be known that it is no-one else's business to comment on your decisions.

letitbe - 40 days ago
Glad I'm not the only one, I'm very much for sharing experiences but being told you're 'selfish' for one glass of wine was just ridiculous. What to expect actually recommends alcohol as a useful sedative for early labour! and the National institute for clinical excellence says that there is no link to birth defects with a consumption of less than 8 units of alcohol per week, I've probably had 2 units of alcohol a month max. If only we were all perfect!

crooney - 40 days ago
Im from week 30 and i definitely know what you mean... Im getting all sorts of uninvited feedback about what i do or dont do...

yvette89 - 40 days ago
Ive found that since being pregnant everyone has an opinion on every single thing i do ... Always upsetting someone, always someone that knows best. I guess it doesnt stop when u have your baby either does it!

letitbe - 40 days ago
it was actually on the fb group version of this site and it was because i'd had a glass of wine.

yvette89 - 40 days ago
Give u grief? What on earth for! Im from Leeds.

letitbe - 40 days ago
I'm having a girl and am expecting a girl, i'm from the UK, North East Lincs, I was on here when i first got pregnant this time but came off when one person decided to give me a bit of grief

yvette89 - 40 days ago
Letitbe what are u having and what do u already have? Im hoping this labour is easy because i want another two after! But we shall see :) where abouts are u from?

letitbe - 40 days ago
Yvette - it's so lovely and enjoy every second, ignore my craziness. I think the magnitude of it all has just hit me, labour and delivery is a big hurdle, however, my favourite memory is giving birth to our dd so i'm just hoping it's a hormonal surge which is just making me a little antsy. I think part of the stress is i don't have a single friend who has had two easy births so i'm getting freaked out by it :(

yvette89 - 40 days ago
Letitbe im the same with the nesting, everything is cleaned from top to bottom. All his clothes are washed ironed and hanging ready for him, im so excited for a cuddle. Im not too fused about labour at the minute but maybe that is because hes my first

letitbe - 40 days ago
My mucus plug started to come out last week, with my dd this didn't happen and i just had a bloody show 14 hours before labour started. I have been nesting, house is tidy from top to bottom, and it was a real state due to decorating but i really needed everything ready. I've been extremely emotional and scared of the impending labour to be honest, i'm very frightened although i had a nice birth with dd, i'm just very very frightened and i don't want to have to go through labour at all, i don't know where this has come from. I was so excited first pg but this time i'm just freaking out. I want baby, although i can't even imagine having another baby! Anyone else feeling very ambivalent about the whole thing? I feel like i'm the only pregnant woman who would rather stay pregnant!

yvette89 - 40 days ago
Helped my mum move house on saturday, was doing the gardening yesterday so i really thought he might have been on the way! Thanks katiesmama, i know it will be obvious when im in labour but its the first signs i think ill miss.

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Members in week 38:

Lyndsaylou - 26 May 2013
mum2bof3 - 26 May 2013
ash.a - 27 May 2013
babysophie09 - 27 May 2013
fififabb - 27 May 2013
sidney209 - 27 May 2013
Skydive - 28 May 2013
babyyags - 29 May 2013
Kpalm86 - 29 May 2013
dcinor - 30 May 2013
Miracle-Baby777 - 30 May 2013
payton5 - 30 May 2013
40baby2 - 31 May 2013
Kilamalin - 31 May 2013
LaNasha20 - 31 May 2013
babymullin2 - 01 Jun 2013
DavidAnne - 01 Jun 2013
Punzyg - 01 Jun 2013

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